Tweet
Santa Claus Conquers The Martians
Stuck here all day in a snow & ice storm, my daughter and I are watching old Christmas stuff and watched this 1964 cult classic we bought on DVD at the Dollar Store. Long ridiculed as one of the worst movies ever made, I gotta say- my six year old loved it. As with everything, if viewed through a child's eyes, things are always different, and maybe not as bad as we think.
Admittedly, the costumes, sets, and robot monster gives early Doctor Who a run for it's money. Yeah, I noticed when the Robot slips coming down the ramp into Santa's workshop and his cardboard box torso shifts and the actor straightens it as he lurches forward, but my daughter really saw it as a bad guy after Santa. And the Santa actor is pretty good, a jolly guy.
What I caught too was that the toys in the workshop were made by Louis Marx for the film. Yes, it's in the credits! Now who of us collectors wouldn't want the Marx Martian Action Figure or Rocket Ship in the Toy Shop scene? I'm betting those would go for a small fortune- funny they weren't marketed, even if the film was a flop- and I'm not sure it was a bomb, it's no worse than a lot of that type of film from the early sixties. I know Dell did a comic book adaption, and there's a record album out there with the comic. The Martians would make a pretty cool Mego Custom, wish I were talented enough at customizing to attempt it.
And anyway, the theme song is really a catchy little tune. Give a listen and then tell me that's not stuck in your head for awhile! Written by the great Milton DeLugg, famed for his 'Band with a Thug' on the Gong Show!
Here's the beginning of the film- the toyshop with the Marx toys is at abot 5:58 or so:
YouTube - SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS - 1964 - PT 1 OF 8
Admittedly, the costumes, sets, and robot monster gives early Doctor Who a run for it's money. Yeah, I noticed when the Robot slips coming down the ramp into Santa's workshop and his cardboard box torso shifts and the actor straightens it as he lurches forward, but my daughter really saw it as a bad guy after Santa. And the Santa actor is pretty good, a jolly guy.
What I caught too was that the toys in the workshop were made by Louis Marx for the film. Yes, it's in the credits! Now who of us collectors wouldn't want the Marx Martian Action Figure or Rocket Ship in the Toy Shop scene? I'm betting those would go for a small fortune- funny they weren't marketed, even if the film was a flop- and I'm not sure it was a bomb, it's no worse than a lot of that type of film from the early sixties. I know Dell did a comic book adaption, and there's a record album out there with the comic. The Martians would make a pretty cool Mego Custom, wish I were talented enough at customizing to attempt it.
And anyway, the theme song is really a catchy little tune. Give a listen and then tell me that's not stuck in your head for awhile! Written by the great Milton DeLugg, famed for his 'Band with a Thug' on the Gong Show!
Here's the beginning of the film- the toyshop with the Marx toys is at abot 5:58 or so:
YouTube - SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS - 1964 - PT 1 OF 8
Comment